ABOVE AVERAGE

In 1911, successful London barrister Sir Arthur Grenville-Jones (Laurence Olivier) takes on a case that will have him representing an actress (Katharine Hepburn) he once courted… but he’s still hopelessly in love with her.

George Cukor’s first TV movie has a romantic game between two elderly people; the case is of an embarrassing nature and one wonders to what extent the stage star is manipulating her attorney. Olivier and Hepburn deliver their poison arrows with aplomb; the writing is one of several ingredients that help make this film classy and entertaining.

Composer John Barry deftly uses a waltz by Schubert for the lovely main theme.

1975-U.S. 103 min. Color. Directed by George Cukor. Teleplay: James Costigan. Music: John Barry. Cast: Katharine Hepburn (Jessica Medlicott), Laurence Olivier (Sir Arthur Grenville-Jones), Colin Blakely (J.F. Devine), Richard Pearson, Joan Sims, Leigh Lawson. 

Emmys: Outstanding Directing, Writing, Actor (Olivier), Actress (Hepburn).

Last word: “After a while, you realize that if you spend ten years as a small‐part actor, you are a small part actor for an entire generation of movie audiences. Your name doesn’t mean anything on a marquee. The payoff came with Sleuth, and then those two‐day and five‐day parts began to fade. Sleuth made people aware of me again. Then I had a marvelous reception in Love Among the Ruins on television with Katharine Hepburn. I had wonderful letters from people I’ve never even met, like James Cagney. And that’s just delightful for an actor.” (Olivier, The New York Times)